Chapter 54 Section 4

At the same time, Director John Truman also reported the discovery of the "abnormally high incidence area" to the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. It is the 12 patient families, conduct investigation and research. Soon, at the invitation of Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, Pastor Anne Anderson and Pastor Bruce Younger made a special trip to Washington, D.C., to testify before the Senate’s Public Affairs and Environment Committee.In her short remarks, Anne said: "We fear for our own children, but also for the children of friends, acquaintances and others. Our neighbors live in constant fear." Anne's last words were printed in large type and became the headline of the next day's Boston Globe.

Donna Karnen knew only one lawyer in Woburn, the one who handled her divorce. In July 1980, Donna received a call from a lawyer.At that time, Donna's son Robbie was dying of illness. The lawyer asked Dongna if she had considered seeking justice for the child through legal procedures, and Donna said she hadn't.The lawyer said he wasn't well versed in casualty claims himself, but if Donna was interested, she might as well try the Reed & Mulligan law firm in Boston. Donna couldn't make up her mind.According to common sense, a lawsuit always involves a large amount of legal fees. In Dongna's situation, she dared not even think about it.Donna found Pastor Bruce Younger, who said that it shouldn't matter to consult a lawyer.

Donna called Reed & Mulligan.A week later, Joe Mulligan arrived at Trinity Anglican Church in Woburn as promised in his white Cadillac.Reverend Young showed him the map and told him about the meeting with Director John Truman and the joint investigation by the National Centers for Disease Control and the State Department of Health. "Twelve cases of leukemia and contaminated drinking water," Joe Mulligan later said, "should be self-explanatory in a case like this." But the question is, who to sue?Who to ask for compensation?Pastor Young said that the National Environmental Protection Agency is investigating the source of the pollutants, and everything will become clear when their report comes out.

When Joe Mulligan left, he took the relevant newspaper clippings collected by Pastor Younger and asked the pastor to arrange for him to meet with the patient's family. Pastor Young sent Anne Anderson to notify the 10 families.But due to their own reasons, not everyone is willing to deal with lawyers. At the meeting at the end of August, Joe Mulligan introduced himself and his firm to everyone, and more often, he was listening to everyone's discussions.Someone asked about fees, and Joe said that family members who agree to have his firm represent them will sign a contract that stipulates that the attorney's compensation will be one-third of the compensation.But until compensation is received, the families do not have to pay, nor do they have to pay any costs involved in handling the case.

By the end of September, a total of five families had signed the contract - Anderson, Canon, Zona, Kahn and Toomey. On December 22, Jimmy Anderson's condition deteriorated, and Anne called the Woburn Fire Department for an ambulance to take Jimmy to Massachusetts General Hospital.As the crew put the child on a stretcher, a firefighter asked Anne, "Is your son's doctor Director John Truman?" Annie was very surprised: "How do you know?" "My son also has leukemia, and he's a patient of Director Truman." Anne didn't remember seeing him at those meetings, and asked, "Are you?"

"Jon Riley." I remembered.It was that November evening five years ago, when Jimmy was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital for the second time.An old woman told Anne at the window at the end of the corridor that a little boy named Michael Riley had just died. Less than a month later, on Sunday, January 18, 1981, 14-year-old Jimmy Anderson stopped breathing in excruciating pain.The day before, a nurse on duty wrote in her work diary: "Mother has been here. Both mother and son look exhausted. Jimmy asked: Why me?" Prior to this, Joels had been separated from Anne and his mother because of the burden of the family.

At the end of the same year, Robbie Cannon, 9, of the Donna family, passed away after five exhausting years. Another year passed, and on a June afternoon, Donna Kanon took a bucket of milk to the Demora Supermarket to return it.She just bought the milk that morning, but when she opened it at noon, she found that it had gone bad. Another man in line at the "customer service" counter was carrying a bucket of the same milk.The man was about 30 years old and looked haggard.He and Dong Na looked at each other and said with a smile, "Is the milk bad?" Donna nodded. The man added: "To be honest, I really don't have time for this kind of errand right now. I just spent a week in the hospital with my son."

"I'm very sorry," Donna said. "What happened to him?" "leukemia." The two stood at the entrance of the supermarket and talked for more than half an hour.The man's name was Richard Ofeno, a truck driver.His son Garrod is just 3 years old this year.The Orfino family also lived near Pine Street, a three-minute walk from the Andersons.When parting, Donna said: "If you want to talk to someone at any time, you can call me." Three months later, Donna heard that Garrod Ofeno was dead. It was a Sunday afternoon in September. Laura, Mrs. Ofeno, called Boston Children's Hospital, where Garrod was being treated, and told the nurse on duty that Garrod had been in a coma and couldn't wake up. She was very worried.The nurse asked if the child had a fever, and Laura said no.The nurse said there is no need to worry, "It will be delivered early tomorrow morning."

Laura still couldn't wake Garold on Monday morning.She stretched out her hand to test her son's breath, and it was very, very weak.The couple panicked, and they drove along Highway 93 toward Boston.As they approached Thormonville, Laura, who was holding Garrod in her arms, suddenly exclaimed in panic: "Oh, God! I think he's out of breath." Richard pulled over to the side of the road and started Mouth to mouth to give artificial respiration to the son, but it was too late.